Dying Breath
by sarahandmarquis
Summary: Having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Sarah knows she is dying. What will happen when her arch nemesis returns, offering to her once more what she rejected three years previous? Will she play the fool and reject or will she accept the offer and become the Goblin King's immortal queen? What will happen if she does?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Mr. and Mrs. Wiliams, I am sorry to tell you that your daughter is dying. The caner is spreading through her body too quickly for us to do anything about it. I am very sorry." Sarah listened as the doctor told her stunned parents what was going to happen to her.

When the abdominal pain had begun some months ago, the eighteen-year-old had thought little of it. She was checking out colleges and planning her future; things any normal young person would have done. But, when the pain refused to end, her parents took her to the doctors for tests only to find out she was dying of pancreatic cancer.

The quick spreading disease had already begun to steal her beauty and life before the doctor's announcement and while her family grasped at straws and sought out even the riskiest of cures for the fatal illness, Sarah knew there was no hope. All that was left were the comforts that could be afforded her.

As the doctor and his nurses tried to console her family, Sarah tuned them out, preferring to be lost in her mind and her memories. There was only a past for her, no future. Glancing downward at the yellowing skin of her wrist, she saw a plastic bracelet encompassing the bony appendage. It had been a final gift from Hoggle before he had ceased coming back to visit her. The odd creature had always taken delight in plastic.

"Sarah, what is going to happen to you?" Toby shocked her out of her quiet thoughts and laid a tiny hand on her arm. At only four, he didn't understand what was happening to his beloved half-sister. Death was only a word to him, not what it truly was.

"I am really sick, Toby. They don't know if I will get better. I don't want you to worry about me. I love you." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. His blue eyes filled with tears but none of them escaped as he said,

"Sarah, are you going to die?" Sarah pulled him into her lap, ignoring the pain, and said,

"So the doctors believe. Don't worry about me, Toby." At this moment, Sarah believed it was better to be honest with him than to brush away his fears. He would have to face her passing sometime soon. At the most, she had a few months left.

A few tears slipped out of his eyes and Sarah held him close.

"I want you to take care of Lancelot for me, okay?" After running the Labyrinth, she had decided that Toby would probably enjoy the toy more than she and it had been her gift to him. The stuff bear went with him almost everywhere as it had been the gift of his adoring half-sister.

He nodded vigorously and Sarah had to smile at his determination.

"Of course, sister." He replied and hopped down from his place on her lap when a wheelchair was rolled into the consulting room.

"Sarah," said her step-mother, who had after Sarah had grown out of her rebellious years turned quite nice though not particularly affectionate. "The doctors believe you'll be more comfortable in the hospital than you will at our house. You'll given round the clock medical care to relieve the pain. We'll come visit you every day." Lightly she kissed Sarah's forehead and smiled sadly. Sarah's response was a mere nodding of the head.

"We love you." Her father said as he knelt beside her chair. "You'll be happy here." Sarah proffered a smile to him before they stood up and her step-mother took Toby's hand, leading him away from her. Silently, the white-clad nurses wheeled her to her room and carefully tucked her under the thin sheets in the unelaborate white room.

"Get some sleep, honey." The head nurse said as she gently patted Sarah's shoulder. "If you need anything, push this button." She gestured towards a button on the wall within reach of Sarah. With a parting smile, the nurses filed out, leaving Sarah to her dismal thoughts.

When one is dying, one often thinks about one's past and Sarah found her rebellious mind wandering to the not so distant history when a certain Fae man offered her a kingdom and she, the teenager she was, rejected him when so many would have accepted.

For the year after her return, she had immersed herself completely in all this fantasy, learning as much as humans had recorded on the subjects of goblins, elves, Fae, fairies, and anything that might be remotely related to the Labyrinth.

Yet, she found nothing on the subject of the mulleted Goblin King with the exception as his to face. There was no doubt he was a Fae of some sort. There was no way he could be a goblin with those appealing features and mismatched blue eyes.

Audibly, the brunet sighed and closed her eyes, the blond man's smirking portrait painted on the darkness in back of her eyelids. With that the last thought on her mind, she fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sarah woke up some time later. Through the window she could see the moon and knew it was sometime past midnight by its high position in the sky. The pain was not as bad as usual so she supposed the doctors had given her something for it while she slept. Softly, she sighed again, hating being awake at night with no one to speak to her.

Again her mind wandered away from the real world and back to the Underground, back to the ruler of that city of squalor, filled with goblins and chickens. Passingly, she wondered if he had bewitched her into never ceasing to think of his memory. He was magical after all.

"He's the Goblin King. I wouldn't put anything past him." She sighed and thought about what he had offered her. A kingdom, a throne, life. _I would have been his queen if I could have endured him_.

As she reflected, he didn't seem so bad. It was simply his disposition to playfulness of the more dangerous kind. And, the thought passed through her mind that it was truly her fault that he had taken her brother. She had been the one to wish him away and he said that he was bond by words. She had bond him to the taking of Toby. Quickly, she came to the conclusion, she had been less the damsel in distress than she had wished to admit before.

It was so easy to blame him for everything and forget her own despicable part of the whole tale, so easy to paint him the antagonist and herself the protagonist when truly neither had earned nor deserved those titles. Neither of them had been innocent.

Sarah had been as much the enemy to Toby as he had been.

"He was a better friend to him than I ever was." She whispered softly. How wrongly she had judged him! closing her eyes, she whispered out loud on the spur of the moment and with little thought as to why,

"I wish the Goblin King was here right now." For a moment, all was still. Then, the air in the room became more electric and upon opening her eyes, she was greeted with the sight of the dove gray tight-wearing Goblin King sitting crookedly in the single beside chair. His mismatched blue eyes sparkled and as he shifted a little to make himself more comfortable, his loose shirt and leather vest parted slightly to reveal the pendant he never seemed to be without.

Silence could have been cleaved with a knife as the pair stared at each other, never blinking until the King finally said,

"What child would you like me to steal now? I'm afraid Toby is a little too old." Lightly he clicked the riding crop against his boot before glancing around the hospital room. when Sarah had no idea what to reply to his question, he moved on with a different subject.

"I had thought your décor style was better than this blank space."

"This isn't my room." Sarah replied, a bolt of pain ripping through her stomach and leaving her breathless. "I was moved here just yesterday." Jareth glanced over her gaunt body and yellowed skin and arched an eyebrow, asking another question without even speaking.

"I'm dying, Jareth." She answered, gazing down at her emaciated form beneath the white bedsheet.

"How much longer do you have?" He asked. Sarah was silent as she just looked at him, her body feeling quite drained from just being alive and awake.

"A couple months at the most." Jareth's face never changed from the blank expression but his eyes shimmered and Sarah closed hers, laying back comfortably against the pillow.

"Searching for the immortality that I offered three years ago, precious?" He sneered. Her emerald eyes opened again and she sighed unhappily.

"I don't know why I called you." She lied, knowing all the time but not wishing to admit to herself that she had begun to miss the Goblin King. For all his smirking, frustrating habits, there had been void when she returned to the Aboveground. A void where Jareth fit perfectly.

"Come now, I know very well why you have called on me. You missed me." Sarah glared at him, hating that he could read her so very well, and said,

"How did you know?" She whispered, lightly fiddling with the hem of the sheet while being very careful not to look him in the eye.

"Why else would you have called for me?"

"You're right." Admittance was hardly easy but absolutely necessary. Maybe, after seeing him one more time and allowing herself to realize the lack she felt without him she could move on and when she died, have no regrets.

"Well, for once you think I am right. Shall we put it in the history books?" Jareth verbally jabbed her with a playful taunt, earning him a glare from the invalid in the bed who desperately tried to hide a smile that was forming on her lips.

Silence reigned supreme as the pair watched each other with unblinking eyes. Without breaking eye contact, Jareth created a crystal and tossed it from hand to hand, reminding Sarah once more of the tricks he easily preformed and causing her to remember his final offer. _Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave._ She clearly recalled the words.

Years ago he had offered her his dreams though then she had no idea what they had been at the time. As the speed of the crystal changing hands evened out and moonlight danced across it, choreographed perfectly, she whispered, ever so quietly so Jareth barely could hear her,

"Why me?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sarah's eyes were locked on him and she watched attentively as he rose from his seat, drawing himself to full height. Her mouth dried out as she took in his lithe figure, towering over her cadaverous form, lying in the bed.

"Precious thing, use that brain that you used to defeat my labyrinth and tell me why. Tell me why a Goblin King would want _you_." Blue eyes were locked with green as realization dawned in her mind and sent of a rush of emotions zipping about her body, reinvigorating it with feeling. Unwilling to say the words herself, she replied,

"My mind isn't as sharp as it once was. Explain." He closed his eyes and sighed, the air whistling through clenched teeth.

"Sarah," He said, rolling the 'r'. " _'What no one knew was that the goblin king had fallen in love with the girl._ '" Jareth quoted from the book and leaned over her, his face dangerously close to hers. "You can't play the fool around me."

Sarah turned away from his mesmerizing eyes, unable to look at him and continue to confess ignorance.

"You fell in love with me?" She replied quietly, looking back at him only to see him once more sprawled in his chair. Seeming pleased that she had finally admitted her understanding, he said,

"Yes, the Goblin King, Fae and Immortal, fell quite in love with Sarah Williams, human and mortal." Honestly, it explained everything to Sarah. His reasons for attempting to keep her even if he had to bend the rules. No one would have tried quite that hard simply not to lose.

"You failed to keep me though." Sarah spoke up, quite pleased with herself for having the courage to speak up to him.

"I failed then, yes, but not now." His blue eyes sparkled with danger and the maiden shifted uncomfortably beneath their mischievous gaze. Something was going within that immortal mind and a foreboding settled inside Sarah's mind.

"But you have no power over me." She said, the words belaying her body's faint trembling.

"Those words are null and void now you called upon me. I'm afraid I never bothered to tell you that." Her green eyes flashed dangerously and she sat up a little bit more on the bed, biting back a hiss at the pain from the movement.

"You are quite a liar." It was her only defense against him! What else could she say? He had her in a corner now. His power was returned to him all because of her stupid mistake in calling for him. Perhaps she was a bit daft? He mirthlessly chuckled and said,

"I can't lie, precious. We Fae are masters of word manipulation and loopholes. I, of course, am the best of them all." He smirked and she promptly scowled, forced to concede that he was likely right.

"So, you are, Jareth."

Quickly becoming desperate to change the subject off of herself and give her a few moments to think up a comeback, Sarah said,

"What were you going to do with Toby? You knew I would never have forgiven you for changing him into a goblin."

"Did I ever say he was going to be a goblin? I said that he would be one of us. 'Us' doesn't mean goblins." Sarah stared at him and said,

"He would have been a Fae. One of your kind." The words were mumbled, more to reassure Sarah than to agree with Jareth. "What place would he have had there? What future?"

"He would have been my heir." He replied calmly, tossing a crystal between his hands, perfectly relaxed. _My brother would have been the Goblin Prince._ The thought certainly shook Sarah to her core.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded,

"Well, precious, I didn't see the need to. You would have come after him anyway if you had thought he was going to be my heir. Your hatred of me wouldn't have lessened. It was simpler not to confuse you." A sigh echoed past the drawn lips of Sarah and she laid her head down on the soft pillow, closing haunted eyes, once more changing the subject to another question she had bouncing around her muddled mind.

"Jareth, if I had gone with you, what would I have been?" He opened his eyes and for one moment she found herself getting lost in the blue mismatched pools. Would I have remained mortal?" At her question, the proud Goblin King rose to his feet and walked close to her, reaching down and brushing a sunken cheek with the tips of his black-gloved fingers.

"No. I couldn't have that. I am immortal and you would have died far too soon for my tastes. As my wife and queen you would have become like me. A Fae with magic." Sarah's heart rate increased, not from his words, but from the electricity in his fingers which passed through the gloves and left her skin warm.

As she opened her mouth to ask another question, Jareth quickly covered her lips with one of his fingers and shook his head.

"No more questions, love. I offer you a gift. You are dying. There is nothing left for you here, in this fading world. Accept and you will be immortal and a queen." A cold feeling filled her stomach and she whispered, despite knowing what it was,

"What is it?"

"Your dreams." He said as he held up the crystal in his hands and out to her. "Choose them and you live forever. Turn them down and you die. Your choice." Her eyes fluttered close and a war was waged within her mind and heart.

She was eighteen now. Old enough to marry. But, what was worse, death or eternal marriage to a Goblin King. By accepting now, she would die tonight to her world and be born to a whole new world. Never again would she see her family. She would simply be gone. It was death either way.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A tear gliding down her cheek and her bottom lip trembling, she opened her eyes. Her choice had been made."I accept with the stipulation we wait thirteen weeks before our marriage day." Being as he was in love with her, Sarah knew he would wish to marry her once he got her back to the Underground. She would be his wife, willing or unwilling. Setting a longer engagement time would give her the chance to accustom herself to the place she would live for the rest of her life.

This was her future and she would take hold of it and control it to the best of her ability.

"I understand. We will wait. I have waited three years. I think I can manage for another thirteen weeks." His words proved her suspicions and she held out her hand for the crystal. Without another word from the Goblin King, he dropped it into her open palm and in the blink of an eye, the pair of them were standing in a lavish room no doubt within his palace. A four poster bed was against one wall, a window above the headboard proving a pleasant view outside.

Beside it was a small table, empty and available for her to fill according to her desires. The wall opposite the bed were two doors leading to a balcony, both of them having gossamer curtains to protect the privacy of any occupants.

A set of chairs and a low table adorned the middle of the room while a chest of drawers were off to her left on the wall facing the bed. Color contrasts were definitely the theme of the room. The white and bright yellow patterns of the bedspread, offset with rosewood furniture and the blood red curtains. The carpet beneath her feet was forest green but spread through it were traces of sunshine yellow.

Without saying a word about the décor of the room, she walked over to the window and looked down upon the labyrinth she had defeated three years previous. At the sensation of a presence beside her, she turned to see Jareth, lazily sprawled across a chair.

Leaning against a wall, she said,

"Can't you sit correctly?" He laughed and said,

"Oh, I can, but I choose not to. It is quite comfortable and you should try it sometime. Now, I shall leave you to investigate your room. I also believe you have some friends who are most anxious to see you." He smirked one last time before vanishing in a puff of glitter. She stared at where he used to be. The gears in her mind turned quickly and three names appeared in her head.

Hoggle, Ludo, and Sir Didymus.

 _I'll see my friends again!_

Sarah almost jumped for joy but then took care to remember that Jareth was quite a trickster and she couldn't ever trust anything he said. That damped her spirits a bit but she decided to hope for the best. He did say he loved her. perhaps that would influence him to be pleasant to her.

Doing as Jareth suggested, she investigated her suite in which she found, behind demurely concealed doors, a sitting room and a very nice bathroom with running water in addition to her bedroom. After taking note of the running water, she made up her mind to thank Jareth later on for that. At least they weren't too far behind in technology. Though, she supposed thoughtfully, they were well ahead of humans as they possessed magic.

After examining the bathroom and sitting room to her hearts content, she walked back into her bedroom and found another door hiding a walk-in closet filled with luscious gowns of all the colors imaginable. Despite her dislike to dresses as a rule, Sarah found herself looking forward to wearing them. Though, she would speak with Jareth at some point about acquiring some jeans. No way would she be caught in the tights he wore.

After brushing her fingers on the soft material of the dresses, Sarah walked over to her bed and stretched out on it like a great cat. as her eyes closed and she sank into the soft mattress, she gasped softly, sitting up and holding her hand up before her eyes. The proper color had returned and her wrist was no longer a piece of bone clad in thin skin.

Bounding up, she ran into her bathroom and gazed at herself in the full-length mirror on one of the walls. Her heart thudded and then skipped a few beats as she beheld her new self. The sick pallor was gone and she again filled out her figure. Her skin seemed to glow and her eyes were brighter and greener than they had ever been. Her dark eyebrows turned upward and her hair was richer.

Everything about her was better than ever before.

Laying a hand over her heart, she reveled in the youth and vibrancy she felt echoing through her whole body. Even before the cancer, she had never felt like this. Glancing downward, she frowned at the hospital gown that still clad her figure, barely fitting anymore due to the restoration of her weight. Stripping it off and tossing it to the floor, she returned to her room and took one of the gowns off its hanger, slipping the satin over her body and smiling as it fit every curse to perfection.

"I'm free." She whispered to herself before hurrying to the sitting room to await her friends' arrival. Not long was she lost with her thoughts before there was a knock on the door. Hands shaking, she rose to her feet, smoothed out her dress and opened the door, a wonderful sight greeting her eyes.

"Hoggle, Sir Didymus, Ludo!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moment the door opened, a lumbering creature of great size and little grace wrapped her up in his hairy arms and crushed her against him. Sarah laughed and gently pushed Ludo back a bit so she could look up at him.

"Ludo, it's wonderful to see you!" The creature grinned and she turned towards the little fox who stood for once without his loyal mount at his side. He bowed to her, the elegant plume on his hat bobbing.

"My lady, I am glad to see thy fair face once more! How fare thee? And why art thou here?" A pretty smile danced over Sarah's mouth as she bent down and hugged Sir Didymus.

"I shall explain in a moment." After planting a quick kiss on his furry cheek bone, she turned the final member of the party, a short dwarf who was still standing on the threshold, waiting for her.

"Hoggle!" She exclaimed happily, bending down and kissing his forehead. "It's so good to see you again. I've missed you." He smiled a seemed to blush a little, his response rather flustered,

"Same to you, Sarah." The maiden pleasantly laughed and led them all into her sitting room, gesturing for them to find places as she took her own seat in one of the fine armchairs, enjoying the feel of the smooth leather cushions.

After her friends had found their places, she smoothed her skirts and said,

"In answer to Sir Didymus's question, I'm here because I accepted Jareth's offer of marriage." There was a unanimous gasp from her three friends and a tight smile pulled at her face. "Several months ago, I was diagnosed with cancer and it was either die or become his wife."

"You are marryin' Jareth? That rat?" Was Hoggle's first respond and Sarah merely nodded.

"Sawah marry the king?" Ludo asked, wrapping his brain around the notion of his king having a wife at his side. To him it was quite odd to think of their king being a married man.

"Yes, Ludo. I am going to marry Jareth in thirteen weeks." Her attention was drawn to Hoggle when the dwarf shook his head and said,

"Marry him? Sarah, he's not…marriageable material." Hoggle seemed dead set against the wedding and Sarah stood up, walking over to him and kneeling beside his seated form.

"I had no other choice. I'd prefer to live as his queen than to die in some hospital room. He can't be all bad. I mean, there has to be something good about him." Sir Didymus nodded quickly.

"True, my lady. There must be so virtue in him, Goblin King though he be. Do you love him?" The question came a bit of a surprise from the small fox. Sarah hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

"No, I don't love him." Not yet, she said in her head. Eternity was spread out before her. who knew what might change in that span of time. while she doubted ever loving the Goblin King, it was possible her predictions could be wrong.

"You haven't known him for as long as I have. One day you will see that he is completely heartless." Hoggle added in, causing Sarah to frown. Before any reply from herself or her other two friends could be made, a chuckle echoed through the small sitting room and a smirking Goblin King materialized through the closed door.

"So I am completely heartless, am I?" Hoggle swallowed and, after standing up, turned around, unable to say a word as his already wide eyes widened even further, realizing he had been caught speaking against his king to his future queen. "Cat got your tongue?" Jareth inquired, enjoying himself too much at the poor dwarf's expense. Hoggle shook his head and stammered,

"N-no, S-sir. I n-never s-said a-anything l-like t-that." Jareth arched a concave eyebrow and knelt down so as to be more on level with the petrified dwarf.

"I could have sworn I heard you say something to the like of it. Maybe I was mistaken." His eyes flashed with amusement and Hoggle shuddered in his shoes. Sarah rolled her eyes and said,

"Y-yes, S-sir." He stammered before making his exit, accompanied by Sir Didymus and Ludo, obviously disparate to get away from Goblin King. Before he could make his getaway though, Jareth called,

"Higgle, don't forget. I can still bog you." The trembling dwarf stopped for a moment before fleeing, long enough to acknowledge the King's statement but not long enough to correct his name, obviously fearing too much for his current good fortune to push the him any further. The twinkle in Jareth's eyes which Sarah spotted quite quickly impressed into her mind that he was only joking, not meaning a word of it but only wishing to see the poor creature scared out of his wits.

"Jareth, that isn't nice." Sarah lightly reprimanded him, her former spirit having returned with the healing of her illness.

"I don't mean anything by it." Jareth replied as he lounged into one of the fine chairs, one booted foot lightly bobbing for no reason at all. Her eyes traced the clean-cut lines of his slender form, virtually unconcealed due to the dove-gray tights and snug leather vest.

"I swear you act like a child at times." Sarah responded as she folded her hands in her lap, the pale skin a lovely contrast to the emerald dress. At the mention of his mental age, her curiosity was piqued at his true age. "How old are you really?" She truly wasn't expecting him to be young. He was smart, as much as it stung to admit it. smart like one who had lived for many centuries. She wasn't expecting him to be anywhere near her age.

Waving aside the comment about his behavior he quickly counted on his fingers for a moment, his up-turned eyebrows knitting together in concentration.

"I am, by my last calculation, one thousand and eight years, three months, two weeks, and four days. Fae don't keep very good track but I was always amused with the human custom of remembering." While Sarah was well aware he wouldn't be young, her eyes did widen as his exact age set in.

"You were alive before William the Conquer invaded England?" She asked quietly, remembering from her history lessons that the Battle of Hastings was in A.D. 1066. He would have been eight-five, already well into old age for a human, when the Normans took over Sarah's mother country, yet he didn't look a day over his twenty-first year.

"Is that old for your kind?" She asked, unsure what her thoughts were on the lack of aging. Would in another thousand years she be able to look back and say with pride that she lived had lived back in 1989? How would it be to see the future and knowing there would be no end? Or, no end she was aware of exiting.

"No, not particularly." Jareth remarked as he tossed a crystal into the air and when it landed on the back of his hand, flipped it around, preforming an impossible juggler's trick. "Some of my family are well into their four thousands." At this, Sarah gasped. One thousand was one thing. Four thousand was another entirely. Unable to clearly determine her thoughts on the matter, she addressed another part of words, leaving the age for another day when she could wrap her head around such a number.

"You have family?" While, logically, he had to have had some sort of family, it had never crossed her mind that he had a mother, father, possibly siblings.

"Of course I do. Hasn't everyone at some point in their life?" Sarah had to agree with him there. He hadn't just appeared in a puff of glitter and light, no matter how magical he was.

"Tell me about them." She asked as she rose, placing her hands lightly on her hips for balancing. Jareth smirked as he too rose, holding out one arm to in the style of a model gentleman.

"I shall tell you over a meal." He announced, escorting her from the room without another word.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

Hey, I just wanted to thank the _Hororia Granger_ who caught a pretty major error in my writing. Jareth ISN'T one hundred and eight years old but one THOUSAND and eight years old. During my editing, I made that mistake. So, just clarifying that.

This book has already been written in it's entirety and this is simply a very severe edit on my part (practically a rewrite). I was very unhappy with my writing style of two years back so I'm fixing it and trying it out on y'all!

sarahandmarquis

Chapter 6

Jareth led his young fiancé down some halls and into a royal dining room, far more neat than his throne room. no curtains hung across the empty windows, allowing the cool breeze off the Labyrinth to blow into the room and naturally lower the temperature. A circular table complete with large hole in the middle, making space for a fire pit, was centered in the room with a circular bench surrounding it.

The floors were reddish polished stone but Sarah paid little attention to what was beneath her feet. Instead her eyes were locked on the lavish meal laid out on table, the aroma wafting towards her and causing her stomach to give a very unladylike growl.

Blushing faintly and avoiding Jareth's gaze, she allowed herself to be led to where two places had been set and then seated before one. Jareth dished the food out to her before giving himself a generous helping. After hesitating for a moment, Sarah took a bite of the meal before her and closed her eyes as the flavor overwhelmed her pallet and took her breath away due to its deliciousness.

By far this was the best meal of her life.

"This is wonderful!" She exclaimed as she took another bite, savoring it as Jareth replied,

"Yes, the goblins, despite being horrible housekeepers, are excellent cooks." He took a bite and ended the conversation on cooking there. Silent for a few moments, Sarah finally spoke up,

"You said you'd tell me about my new race." Jareth glanced towards her, his blue eyes sparkling charmingly and nodded.

"Yes, I did." He picked up his goblet and drank before reclining back. "What would you like to know?" Sarah was silent as she looked down at her meal, reviewing her combined knowledge from Jareth and from her reading sources, information she decided to throw out as humans likely knew very little true facts about the Fae.

"Are there any other Fae in the near vicinity?" She asked, unsure why she started with that question but when one is gaining information, one must begin somewhere. Jareth shook his head.

"No, I haven't seen another Fae in at least nine hundred years. They are all in their realm, some hundred leagues from here." In Sarah's world, a distance of three hundred miles wouldn't be a problem for visiting, especially when one has nine hundred years to do it in.

"Why?" She asked, picking at her food, suddenly more interested in hearing his story than enjoying the meal.

"I choose. You see, for thousands of years, Fae and humans lived together as friends. Yet, the friendship began to falter when the humans realized how strong we truly were. They feared our strength and drove us away. But, humans are a fallible race and their mortal times erred. They forgot the goblins, a race for wiser and powerful then they are now. A force to be reckoned with.

"It was decided, nine hundred years ago, for one Fae to be chosen from the race to be the Goblin King and rule the group of misfits, giving them unity and a purpose other than war with humans. At that time, I was a mere babe in arms to them, not having yet reached two hundred, barely even considered a man. But, my frolicsome ways and mischievous natured caused them to wish me long gone.

"My father, the Fae King, was more than happy to agree to my promotion and I was more than happy to accept. So, here I am, the Goblin King, having neither seen nor cared to see any of my race. And so, I shall remain as such until goblins cease to exist." He ended his little history lesson with a smirk and returned to his meal, leaving Sarah to mull over it all.

"So that is where the legends of little people, fairies, and such creatures came from?" She asked quietly, seeing the basis in fact of the legends. All legends have some true somewhere to them and she had found the truth of that one at last.

"Yes." He replied. "Though they have grown quite outlandish and strayed far from the truth." Sarah chuckled a little, picturing for a moment, Jareth as a fairy, flitting around caring for nature. The thought was quite amusing.

"Very true." She said, picking up her fork once more and continuing her meal in relative silence. As she did so, her eyes fixed upon the pale hand that was gripping the gold utensil. Dark eyebrows knitting, she lightly traced the perfect back of her hand, realizing the scars she had once sported there were missing.

One had been rather deep, leaving quite a nasty mark but there wasn't a sign of it having even been there.

"Jareth, where are my scars?" She asked, holding out her hand for his inspection. He didn't bother to even look her direction as he said,

"When I gave you your new body, I took the liberty of removing all scars and blemishes from your skin." For the longest moment, Sarah had no response to his words.

"New…body?" She stuttered slightly, looking back at her hand as if it were an alien and a danger to her own health. Calming her thundering heart, she eased her surprise by assuring herself he only meant her mortal body had been changed, not that she was the processor of a whole new form.

"Yes, your new body. Your old one, your human body, is currently lying in a hospital bed, dead from an unexpected spreading of your cancer." He created a crystal and handed it over to her, showing her through the smooth surface of the crystal, her corpse, surrounding by her sobbing father, step-mother, and Toby.

Hands shaking, she passed the crystal back to Jareth who simply threw it against the wall to dispose of it. Silently, she looked towards him to explain.

"Changing a human body to a Fae body is a very long, painful, and unpleasant business. The simplicity of giving you a new body was too hard to resist." He reached over to her and lightly tapped her chest then her temple. "You're the same here and here. But, you have a body that will last forever."

"I see." Sarah said as she stood up, not hungry for another bite. Head swimming, she ran her hands over her bare arms, feeling no difference in her skin but knowing it wasn't the same as before. Unnerved by the change, she longed to change the subject and Jareth felt that.

Finishing his meal in record time, he rose and offered his arm to her again.

"Shall we go see the throne room? I am working a second throne and I thought you might like input on where to place it." Sarah nodded, grateful for something to distract her from her current vein of thought.

"Sounds great."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jareth led Sarah down the twisted halls of the castle, leading from her room to the throne room. As they passed through a door and were greeted with the jumbled Escher room and its complex maze of stairs and arches, Sarah snapped her eyes closed and grasped as the equilibrium she had lost, her hand subconsciously tightening on the Goblin King's.

"Precious, if you want to learn how to get through this I would advise opening your eyes. Crushing my hand will do you little good." He said as he carefully peeled her fingers off and gently retook her hand within his grasp. Her eyes slowly opened, and, after gasping a few short breaths, Sarah turned to Jareth and frowned his direction.

"It makes me feel better." She grumbled, blushing faintly at the horrible comeback but unable to leave his smirk unanswered.

"As you wish." He said, the expression never once leaving his face as he guided her down the logical pathway through the muddle. As he did, Sarah's mind recalled the last part of her journey when the Escher room had appeared to be destroyed, only broken floating remnants hovering in the air around her.

"I thought I had destroyed it or something." Jareth chuckled a little as they arrived at the exit and descended the short flight of steps leading into his throne room.

"Things are not always as they seem." Sarah shuddered slightly, understanding the depth to those very words. Things were not always as they seemed. In his world, the layers involved were immense and some terrifying. _Why does he always have to be right?_

As they turned the corner in the spiral staircase, Sarah halted, looking about her and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the place she had seen three years previously. The appearance hadn't changed. The pit still resided in the middle and windows in the walls allowed light through. To one side there was his throne, the odd curved seat bringing back many memories.

In truth, the only difference was the inhabitants of the room. Goblins were everywhere, filling the floor and window sills. The harsh smell of ale filled the room from the places where the untidy creatures had spilled the liquid. Oddly enough, the scent masked, to some small extent, the odor of the chickens whose particular stench reminded her of a barnyard.

 _It appears my first order of business will be sanitary ones._

Uncomfortable and slightly nervous, Sarah gripped Jareth's hand firmly as he weaved his way through the swarm of goblins to his throne, gesturing for her to sit down before perching himself on one of the curved armrests. After confirming that the seat was clean to the naked eye, Sarah seated herself. After a few moments of awkward silence, Jareth glanced over to her and smugly asked,

"What do you think of your new throne room? Quite a pleasing place, is it not? Fit for a queen?" Her response was a frown punctuated with a glare before she deigned to give him a verbal answer.

"It needs cleaning." Jareth laughed and replied,

"Well, it won't do much good, Precious. You learn to ignore the mess." Sarah glanced away, lifting her head in rejection of his notion. There would be cleaning measures taken if _she_ was to be queen of the Goblin realm. As she fixed her eyes on some goblins torturing a chicken, a faint tapping rang in her eyes, just enough off of perfect timing to grate on her nerves.

"Jareth." She muttered, remembering Hoggle mentioning the riding crop Jareth kept around for no reason whatsoever and was known for tapping against his thigh in an offbeat. "Quit tapping." The noise stopped for a moment before resuming, this time louder and even less synchronized.

"Jareth." Sarah barked, sending the goblins scurrying for safety, leaving the pair alone in the now quiet throne room.

"Something bothering you?" He asked, a playful smirk dancing over his lips. _He is enjoying this far too much_.

"Take me back to my room. I wish for some quiet." Her first reaction had been to lie and cover her irritation but, as Jareth had spoken of once before, she hadn't been able to utter the untruth. Fae really couldn't lie after all.

"Very well." He bounded to his feet and transported us both back to room without a moment's hesitation. Upon arrival back into my chambers, I pointed at the door.

"Get out. I want some time by myself as well." The King arched an eyebrow but obeyed her, departing without another word and leaving her to her scrambled thoughts.

As the door clicked behind him, Sarah walked over to a window and parted the curtains, looking down at the Labyrinth, amazed at the beauty of the vista. Her new home wasn't an ugly place. There was great beauty even in the variety of residents. _I could be happy here._ A smile tugged lightly at her mouth as she stepped away from the window and into the bedroom, shedding the gown in exchange for something more comfortable.

Relaxing in her spacious bed, she closed her eyes and pictured on the back of her eyelids the faces of her family. They would be burying her mortal body soon. They would all be dressed in black and Toby would be asking why she wasn't there and where she had gone. They would never see her again. She was dead to them and the only world she had ever known.

The finality of her thoughts drew tears to her eyes as a pain to her heart.

"Queens don't cry." She whispered to herself before turning on her side and expelling the thoughts from her mind, pressing down the emotions once more. _Queens don't cry._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sarah awoke moderately early the next morning, and rose quickly from bed after taking a moment to acclimate herself to her recently altered surrounding. Still brushing the sleep from her eyes, she stumbled into the bathroom and splashed cold water against her face, instantly rousing herself from her half-conscious state.

Running a set of long fingers through her hair, she attended to all personal needs, including a short bath, and returned to her bedroom to look through her closet for something fresh to wear. It was, as she poked deeper into the closet, she found there lacked any sort of pants. No jeans, no dress, not even the tights her fiancé was so known for wearing.

As her fingers brushed the silk of the long dresses, Sarah determined to immediately discuss with Jareth a new wardrobe. While dresses were nice for occasions and dress-up, it wasn't her desire to wear them all day, every day. Despite how uncomfortable and revealing Jareth's tights were, they would be more acceptable than the long skirts.

With that idea in mind, Sarah contented herself with a slightly shorter pastel blue dress and, after brushing her hair and tying it back with some ribbons and clips, left her rooms in search of Jareth. while spending the day with her future husband wasn't the most appealing prospect it was the only logical one.

Very little time had passed before Sarah found herself quite lost in the castle. Sighing and leaning against the wall, she closed her eyes and counted to ten before opening them.

"Perhaps Jareth needs to give me a map!" She muttered under her breath and looked around, about ready to call him when a small goblin approached. The creature was no more than three feet high with big bulging eyes and a tiny little body. Quickly grasping the good fortune of her current situation, Sarah called out to him,

"Good morning, sir. Would you kindly tell me where I could find your king?" The goblin looked up at her and gestured for her to follow him. not a single word was uttered as he led Sarah through the halls and to a great wooden door.

"Thank-you, Sir." He bowed and walked away. Sarah hesitated, unsure if she should knock or enter without warning. After another few moments, she set her jaw and opened the door, the strong smell of books and ink washing over her as she stepped into the heavy room.

Thick red carpet covered the floor and sweeping bookcases filled with all sorts of book in all sorts of languages. The ceiling was adorned with many murals, depicting great battle scenes between various odd creatures of Underground descent, Sarah assumed.

Tucked into a corner was a desk, only identifiable by a visible leg and corner. Piled high on the desk were papers, journals, and more books. The scratching of quill against parchment and the shuffling of paper was sufficient to alert her to the presence of Jareth.

"Jareth?" Sarah called out quietly, stepping towards the desk. As she spoke, Jareth looked upward and fixed her with his eyes.

"Good morning, Sarah. Sleep well?" He inquired, glancing downward once more and continuing with his writing. Sarah, curious as always, walked around one corner of the desk and read over his shoulder. While the letter was in English, it made little sense to her as she didn't understand the context.

"Anything interesting happening?" She asked, noting the references to "father" and "kingdom" in Jareth's note.

"I received a missive from my father. Every year I send a letter explaining how things are in the Labyrinth. It is a simple task. When he receives the letter, he sends one back saying he did, what he thinks, and it always includes a request I come visit. Well, I sent my letter one week ago, saying that I would be having a bride soon."

Sarah's mind, still slightly cloaked a sleepy fog, took a moment to recognize the time frame that his words implied.

"A week ago? I haven't been here that long? You didn't change time while I wasn't looking?" She inquired quickly, knowing his habits of adjusting things without her knowing it. Jareth shook his head and responded back with that egotistical grin of his.

"I knew you were going to accept. If you didn't, I was going to keep after you until you did. Even your stubbornness would give in when you were at death's door." Sarah glared at him harshly and turned her back on him, a "humph" her only response to his startlingly correct statement. The king chuckled faintly before returning to his original subject,

"As I said, I told him I was taking a wife and he insists upon meeting you. While I don't look forward to seeing my kinfolk after so many centuries, it is necessary that they meet and accept you as my bride."

Sarah took a few steps away from the King and wrapped her arms around herself, thinking for a moment of what his parents and family might be like.

"Are they all like you?" She asked, concerned about trying to endure the presence of more than one Jareth-like person in a room at one time. Her only hope and comfort was that Jareth was the eccentric of his family and the rest would be rather normal in comparison.

"Of course. They are somewhat like me. But, no worries, Precious, they don't have my cunning mind nor my love for tricks." His mostly reassuring statement set Sarah's heart at some semblance of ease. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.

"When do we leave? What will I need?" Sarah inquired.

"Right after lunch. Pack anything you don't want to be created out of thin air. I usually don't bother with any luggage." Sarah nodded but decided she would bring a small bag with some clothes and odds and ends nevertheless.

"How will we travel?" She asked, wondering at the advancements in technology in her new world. While they had obviously become experts at teleporting, that didn't mean that had such common things as cars and planes.

"By teleportation. We will arrive just outside the city, hire a carriage, and arrive in the city in style. When one is gone nine hundred years, one must make a good impression." His blue eyes twinkled and he winked at his young fiancée. Sarah almost giggled a little but retrained herself.

"Sounds nice. How long will we be gone?" Jareth shrugged and stood up, walking towards the door leading out of his study.

"It could be three days or it could be three weeks. Pack for the former." He replied as he opened the door and held out his hand to her. "Shall we have breakfast?"

Sarah nodded but refused his hand, preferring to walk out before him and let him lead her towards the dining room.

-JS-

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

I hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter you just read! I just wanted to let everyone know that the next few chapters of my book really need a lot of editing so it will be a while before I'm able to post again (also, I got first quarter tests to get done {yes, I do school in the summer} so I have to concentrate on them).

sarahandmarquis


	9. Chapter 9

Enchanted Peach Dreams: I do hope as more chapters are posted you will find the story to your liking! I promise there is much more to come!

Chapter 9

"Are you ready, precious?" Jareth asked his fiancée as the pair of them stood in the cool breeze on a high turret of the castle. Spread before them was the whole of the Labyrinth and, if one looked closely enough, it was quite simple to see some of the more intense details of the maze. Even the faintest whiffs of the Bog of Stench could be found, carried on the wind.

"Yes, I am." Sarah showed him the small carpetbag she had gripped tightly in her white hands. "We're leaving now?" She asked quietly, glancing about her. Heights had never been her friend, often making her dizzy.

"Yes. Right now. Take my hand." Jareth took the bag from her and held out his hand to her. She didn't hesitate for a single moment before curling her fingers around it and holding on tightly. His grip was warm and firm, something to distract her from the edge.

A wink was all the warning she received before her world spun around her in a vibrant whirl of color and turned black. The suddenness stole the breath from her lungs and didn't return it until her feet touched the ground.

Gasping and stumbling, she turned on Jareth.

"Give me some warning next time!" Jareth merely chuckled.

"You'll learn how to handle the sudden changes. And, even enjoy it. One day you'll be teleporting." Sarah scoffed at the notion.

"I will do no such thing."

"Yes, you will. And, much more. In fact, everything I can. I intend to begin teaching you when we return home." Sarah rolled her eyes and looked at everything except the smirking King beside her. Fae she might be now but magical she was not.

"Teach me magic, you might find yourself in trouble, Goblin King." The ability to make the crystals he was so fond of might come in handy now she considered the subject. They would be perfect for heaping a little of Jareth's own medicine back on his head.

"It will be a thousand years before you shall be strong enough to beat me in any substantial way." Sarah sniffed and crossed her arms, reminding Jareth much of fifteen-year-old who had challenged him three years previous.

"Come now, precious, let's go hire that carriage. It's time you met my family."

The Fae city was everything Sarah had ever dreamed of. Towering white walls concealed white-washed houses and shops within. In the center, the pinnacle of the castle could be seen, rising over the walls, gleaming the afternoon sun. There was a pristine royalty about its appearance that filled Sarah with awe at its majesty.

Here ruled her future parents.

The thought unnerved the brunette as she brushed at a wrinkle in her dress, frowning as the carriage, drawn by a pair of bay horses, rolled closer towards their destination.

"Nervous?" Jareth asked.

Sarah nodded slowly and didn't reject his arm as it slinked around her shoulders. perhaps she should have felt hate for this king who sat beside her but, at the moment, with her nerves crushing down on her, she didn't object to the warm body next to her offering comfort.

Of course, she ignored the slight tingle that flitted through her body from every place he touched.

At that moment, as the carriage clattered steadily towards the cream gates, she was struck with a completely out of the place question that her mouth asked without her mind's permission.

"Would I be here if it wasn't for the cancer?" Jareth glanced down at the questioning eyes of his fiancé and saw no guile, not mockery. It was a simple question requiring a simple answer.

"Yes, at some point you would have come back to me. I hadn't expected it quite so soon but no one says I'm complaining." He winked at her, only to have her pull away from him, crossing her arms in her typical stubbornness.

"You are an egotistical ass."

"Of course I am. If I were not, I wouldn't be who I am." With that final cryptic statement, the carriage arrived at the gates of the city and they were flung open to reveal a place silently teeming with life. Too in awe of everything she saw outside the windows of the carriage to notice the comment of her husband-to-be, Sarah watched with wide eyes as Fae paused in their everyday work and turned, silently, to notice her passing by.

 _They're all so quiet._ She mused to herself. _I shall have to endeavor to be more like these people while I am in their midst._ Sarah was anything if not quiet. Her generally stubborn, vibrant personality brought her into conflict with her own former race and most certainly would her current kind.

 _I am an alien here._ She silently reminded herself as the carriage rolled into the courtyard of the castle, pausing before a set a find marble steps leading up to a set of great doors. Descending down the marble staircase was a middle-aged man robed in a cobalt suit hardly resembling Jareth's unconventional style.

The driver opened the carriage doors and Jareth exited first, assisting Sarah down before turning towards the gentleman who had reached the base of the steps by that time. Upon closer inspection, Sarah saw gray hair staining the black locks around his temples and the tugging of wrinkles at his black eyes. Though, she noted with a faint smile, for someone whose son was over a thousand years old, he had aged quite gracefully.

"Father." Jareth greeted him with a polite smile and a quick clasping of the hands. "Allow me to introduce to you, my bride-to-be, Sarah Williams." The Goblin King gestured to her as he spoke and she quickly dropped a short curtsy in acknowledgement.

"A pleasure to meet you, Sir." She said, recalling all the etiquette her mother and step-mother had drilled into her brain. At that time, she hadn't thought she would ever need it but as of this moment, she was grateful for their education.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Williams." He nodded towards her with a faint smile before turning to his son. "And, it is a delight to see you once more! Your mother has done nothing but talk about you since we first heard the news of your engagement."

As if on cue, a woman flew from the great doors and down the steps, taking them two at times in her rush to reach the bottom.

"Jareth!" The woman cried out, dashing into his arms as she embraced him tightly against her. "It's good to have you back, my son." The flair of unprecedented jealousy that rose up in Sarah instantly faded at the final address. There was little doubt of their relationship as it was. Jareth's resemblance to his mother was uncanny. Mismatched blue eyes, wispy blond hair, square chin – all pointed to a heightened favoring of his mother's linage.

"Wonderful to see you, mother." Jareth returned the embrace and Sarah hid a little smile at viewing the affectionate side of her egotistical goblin king. He certainly was an enigma.

"Why did you never come visit me? Nine hundred years and no more than a few words of greeting." Her light scolding brought a laugh from Jareth as he kissed his mother's cheek.

"I didn't have time, Mother. Being Goblin King isn't all about bogging goblins and kicking chickens."

"Of course it's not. But, one would think you'd have time to spare for your dear pining mother." The queen laughed a little to herself before turning to Sarah and bestowing another smile upon the young girl.

"And, you must be his fiancé. I am pleased to meet the woman who finally tied my wild son down to a semi-stable life." There was brief grasping of hands and kissing on the cheek before Jareth's mother whirled away and breezed up the stone steps.

"Come along! Refreshments are served in the parlor and we can become better acquainted in a more comfortable environment."


	10. Chapter 10

Jareth's mother, the Queen Karis, was quick to pull Sarah aside to a couch once they had entered the castle's parlor while Maitland took Jareth over to the window, presumably catching up on latest bit of politics.

"Here." The pleasant, bright eyed woman handed Sarah a cup filled with a ruby liquid which lacked any sort of a smell. Hesitant, Sarah glanced sideways at the queen who continued, "It's a fruit cordial of sorts. Native only to the Underground. You'll like it, I think." She poured herself a cup and sipped on it before settling back against the cushions of the couch.

"Thank you, your majesty." Sarah replied quietly as she sipped the drink, finding she did enjoy the fruity taste combined with a tangy flavor.

"Please, call me Karis. I don't stand on ceremony like Jareth's father. Besides, we'll be related very soon, correct?" Her eyes inquired more than her voice and Sarah smiled faintly before turning away her face from the woman.

"In a few months. I have requested some time to accustom myself to this idea of being queen. And, well, this place. It's nothing like I've ever seen before." The queen laughed and patted Sarah's shoulder.

"The Underground is unique. There is nothing like it and never will be ever again. In that way, it's not so different from your Aboveground. It too is unique and inhabited by the unusual. At least to us. I hear you have horseless carriages and pictures inside of boxes." Sarah couldn't help but chuckle at Karis's description of cars and televisions.

"Yes, we do. Do you have things like them?" The maid inquired and the queen nodded.

"Not exactly but things which complete the same purpose. Our preference are projections for amusement and teleportation is far more advanced than traveling by a metal monster." With that, Sarah had to agree.

"Well, back to the wedding. Have you solidified any plans as of yet?"

"No, Ma'am. I've been here a few days and I suppose Jareth has been kind to me by not stressing me out too much over the developments."

"I understand. This is a lot to take in so quickly. Soon though, it will become second nature to you. Nothing will seem abnormal. Give yourself a few hundred years." Her reassurance reminded Sarah at that moment of her own late mother and a genuine smile crossed her lips, softening her eyes. Most any nerves she had previously possessed about her new family virtually melted away.

"I will."

"Good." The queen might have gone on to say more but Jareth and his father made their way back over to the pair of women, Jareth with a slightly frustrated frown on his face and Maitland's expression not have changed since their departure.

"Shall we go to our room, precious? You look tired." He reached forward and with a gloved finger brushed her cheek. Sarah nodded and he enfolded her hand in his.

"Good evening, Mother, Father. We shall see you in the morning." With a puff of glitter, the pair of the vanished as Jareth transported them away.

Sarah gazed about the room and frowned softly to herself. It was a nice room and looked comfortable but the style didn't fit her. The dark olive green, tan, and black furniture was made up of odd angles and sweeping circles, all of which stole her visual balance if she turned to quickly.

It slapped of her fiancé.

"This is your room isn't it?" Jareth chuckled and led her over to the bed where he sat her down on the dark comforter.

"Yes, I know it isn't your preferred style but it is considered the finest suite in the whole of the castle." Sarah nodded absentmindedly.

"Where is your suite?" She inquired innocently only to be greeted with a laugh from the blond Fae. Offended, she shot a scowl his way. She was tired and in no mood for his games.

"We will be sharing this suite." Before his bride-to-be could make any objections, he held of his hand to silence her. "It is tradition. An odd tradition that goes against your human sensibilities but one I can't alter. I must remain in your room." He left her sitting on the bed and approached the odd couch.

"I will sleep here and you will sleep there. Will that appease you?" Sarah once more conceded and soon they were both tucked in their respective beds.

It was several hours later when Sarah was awoken by an unearthly screeching. The sound pierced the air like a knife and black shadows darkened the windows in their room for a moment before vanishing to show the moon once.

Sarah, bold though she was, squeaked, curling up in her bed. The screams had cut to her very heart. Over her pounding heart she heard the shifting of a body and a voice say, perfectly calm abet slightly frustrated,

"Banshees. Don't they no better than to interrupt a person's sleep."

"Banshees?" Sarah whispered, turning to see Jareth pulling on his leather jacket before turning towards her.

"Yes. Banshees. Dress quickly. They don't come unless there's trouble."

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

Yes, I know this was kinda short and boring but I promise you it will get more interesting! I'm having to take time building backstory. I promise it will get better soon.

sarahandmarquis


	11. Chapter 11

Rising quickly from her bed, Sarah grabbed her tossed-aside dress and moved her fingers to untie the strings of her nightgown. Her green eyes flashed to Jareth and he turned around to give her some privacy as she quickly dropped the white gown and pulled on her dress.

"I'm modest." Jareth stepped forward and grabbed her hand, his whole form giving away his uneasiness with the current situation. The emotion shifted and shrouded Sarah with the same discomfort. Not another word was shared as the Fae teleported them to the throne room of his parents. Mutterings and clicking shoes could be heard approaching beyond the doors.

Nervous, Sarah stood behind Jareth, using his slender body as a sort of shield from whatever was about to walk through the doors at the far end of the throne room.

The doors swept open and two women entered. One, tall and beautiful, blond hair and dark eyes with white skin and a red dress, every inch what Sarah had always pictured a seductress. The other was more of a hag robed in green. Gray tresses hung about her gaunt, wrinkled face, accented with a hooked nose. Her beady black eyes glared out from under heavy eyebrows.

The King, seated comfortably on his throne, watched the pair as they approached before the scarlet garbed one paused and the hag drew near enough to hand him a parchment. Glancing passingly at the seal, he snapped his fingers and a servant appeared through one of the doors.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Take the Banshee messengers away. Give them food, drink, and boarding. I shall have a reply for you in the morning." The ladies bowed silently and departed, following the stuttering servant out of the throne room.

Jareth's father broke the seal and scanned through the contents, his face not shifting one muscle.

"Karis, escort Jareth's fiancé back to her room and go to yours. Jareth, come with me." The orders were barked out and they all leapt to obey them. While Sarah was desperately curious about the missive, she followed Karis back to her room.

Before the queen left, Sarah reached out and lightly touched her shoulder.

"What's going on?" She asked, sleep still clouding her voice and her mind to some extent and the returned smile from Karis did little to clear it, only to comfort it.

"I don't know. I suppose we'll find out tomorrow. Now, get some rest. Who knows what will happen now. The Empress almost never communicates with the Fae Realm." With those words and a faintly troubled look, she breezed from the room, leaving Sarah to her thoughts.

Reaching backwards, towards the window, the girl stared out into the star-studded night sky, noting how pretty the white city looked bathed in moonlight. Feeling small and alone, she wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed them, hoping to rid herself of the goosebumps appearing on her skin.

As pretty as it all was and as accustomed she was becoming to it, a large part of her missed her home. Screaming hags and formal magical kings weren't parts of that ordinary life and its comforts were something she pined for.

"Home…" She whispered, trying to look beyond the stars to see if her home laid behind them, hidden by their light. Nothing had been brought with her from that other dimension save the hospital gown which had no doubt already been burned.

"I miss you." She muttered once more, restraining the tears that pulled at her eyes as she was overcome with a strange sense of loneliness. Back in the Aboveground she'd had friends of a sort and her family of course. Here, she had nothing. Jareth, while her fiancé, didn't count as a friend as she didn't particularly like him or spend much time with him.

Ludo, Sir Didymus, and Hoggle would always be with her but one can only stand a rock caller, a talking fox, and a dwarf for so long before one goes mad.

Consumed with more thoughts much like those, Sarah slept little that night, preferring the silent company of the stars to those of her dreams.

Sometime around dawn, the door to her room opened and a tired Goblin King stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him. Her listless green eyes bored into his, asking questions without changing expressions.

Jareth focused on her for a moment before looking away and frowning, troubled but unwilling to share them with his distant wife-to-be. Without a word, he slipped into the bathroom and freshened up a bit before returning to the bedroom. Sarah hadn't moved a single inch and dark circles drooped under her eyes.

"No sleep either, precious?" He inquired with a cold chuckle. Sarah merely nodded her response, too tired to offer anything more. "Then perhaps you should get some sleep before I tell you what has happened."

"No." She finally spoke up. "Tell me now." Jareth conceded and closed his eyes for a long moment.

"Trouble is brewing in the north. It seems the banshees have spotted organized movement among the troll population. Those dimwitted creatures rarely congregate unless someone is over them. The Empress was unable to give us any more information but she demands that the Fae Realm and the Labyrinth be ready for an unknown danger."

Sarah nodded absentmindedly, returning her gaze out to the beams of light, reflexing off the white walls. _Trouble, just what I wanted in my new world._

"Are the trolls a formidable adversary?" She inquired.

"Not when they are scattered. It's when they group that they become dangerous. With such a thick hide, the killing of them is difficulty and costly. If brute force is required, they are experts." Distracted, she said nothing, preferring to examine the details of her bed and fight the weight of her eyelids then talk about the details of various races.

Jareth stepped forward and caught her quickly in his arms before she collapsed to the floor. With lithe movements, he carefully tucked her exhausted form beneath the covers.

"Sleep." Crafting a crystal in one hand, he melted it into her skin and watched as she drifted asleep. "I'll wake you when it is time to eat." He whispered to her dreaming face before returning to his couch to get a few moments of rest.

He had the oddest feeling it would be the last time for a while.


End file.
